It's a Wonderful Life
by bluephoenixsong
Summary: Sometimes people make mistakes, Horatio Caine has just made one of the biggest mistakes of his life. Now while his daughter fights for her life a new friend shows him how important he is in so may others' lives. Rated T for harsh language.
1. Chapter 1

**I'd like to take a moment and apologize for being possibly the worst writer when it comes to updating my stories. Life gets in the way and I never seem to have time anymore to update. **

**So to make up for it I decided to post this short Christmas inspired story. It might not be as well written as some of my others and the chapters are really short, but I literally wrote this entire story yesterday, proof read it and did some editing today, and now I think it's ready for the world to view it. This story is inspired by one of my favorite Christmas movies "It's a Wonderful Life," as you can probably guess by the title. It features Horatio and his daughter and her family, Ryan and Oliver Wolfe, along with a new friend for everyone to love. This story does coincide with my main series, but doesn't have an effect on the actual storyline.**

* * *

**It's a Wonderful Life**

* * *

**Chapter One**

* * *

Horatio ducked behind the hood of his Hummer as more shots were fired in his direction. When he heard a brief pause in the pinging sound of the bullets hitting the steel frame he just barely looked above the hood, fired several times, and ducked back down into safety. Then the firing ceased all together. He slowly looked around the Hummer to see the three men that were firing at them laying on the ground, wounded or dead, he wasn't quite sure. Horatio didn't see his daughter at first, but the sight of his son-in-law running across the construction site told him something wasn't right.

Horatio rushed after Ryan to where he could now see his daughter crumpled on the ground, blood pouring from her side. Jessica gasped for air and clenched her hands tightly on the spot on her ribcage. Blood poured from her mouth as she looked up at her father. There was something in her eyes she was trying to tell him, but Horatio just couldn't read the words on her face properly.

* * *

Horatio waited as patiently as he could on the couch in the hospital. He watched Ryan pace from one end of the room to the other. He chewed at his nails and was practically tearing his hair out. Horatio understood how he felt, he wanted nothing more then to do the exact same thing, but he had to stay strong, for all three of them.

Calleigh walked into the waiting room and silently hugged Ryan and then Horatio.

"Someone just called and said Alexx finally has the slug out of Jessica's shoulder blade," she said as means of explanation.

"You're here to retrieve the evidence," Horatio said, his voice hoarse after not speaking for so many hours.

"Yes, we finished the scene about an hour ago. We've just been waiting on Jessica's clothes and the bullet."

"What about the others?" Horatio inquired.

"One dead, one in serious condition," Calleigh answered.

"What about the third?"

Calleigh was about to answer when the door leading to the operating wing opened and Alexx walked out.

"I was hoping you were already here," she said, handing the large paper bag and a manila envelope to her. She held out a small glass jar and Calleigh accepted it as if it were a delicate flower. She held it up and watched the bullet roll around inside.

"Nine millimeter," she said mostly to herself.

"What were the suspects using?" Ryan asked.

"One had a .45, the other a .38."

"What about the third man?" Horatio asked for the second time.

Calleigh and Ryan just stared at Horatio as if he had just spoken the most absurd thing ever.

"What?" Horatio asked.

"Horatio, there wasn't a third man there," Ryan answered. "There was only two."

"No, there was three," Horatio retorted. "I remember. I shot at the third one."

"What color shirt was he wearing?" Ryan inquired.

Horatio looked at Ryan carefully, a suspicious look on the younger man's face. "Green," he finally said.

"Calleigh," Ryan said, gesturing to the envelope Alexx had handed her.

Calleigh slid out several eight-by-ten pictures the hospital had taken and developed of Jessica when she arrived. The top one was of several people working to remove her clothing. The photographer didn't have the space or time to carefully document each wound, but it was clear as day Jessica was wearing a green shirt.

Horatio felt his blood suddenly run cold and his heart stop. He looked up at Ryan. The younger man was staring back with a burning hatred in his eyes.

* * *

Horatio paced the ballistics lab, watching Calleigh test fire.

"You know you shouldn't be here," she said as she retrieve the slug and walked over to the comparison microscope.

"I know as an investigator I shouldn't," Horatio mumbled, "but as a father I have to be."

Calleigh attached the slug to the magnetic mount and peered down the scope. Eric walked in and just looked from her to Horatio. Calleigh looked up at him and motioned him over.

"I want a second opinion," she said.

"On what?" Eric asked.

"Just compare these and tell me what you think."

Eric looked into the eyepieces and adjusted the focus. He examined the slugs for a few minutes and then looked back at Calleigh. "The recovered slug is damaged pretty badly, but there's enough detail I'd call it a match."

"Alright," Calleigh whispered.

"Is this the slug Alexx removed from Jessica?" Eric inquired, looking down the scope again.

"Yes," Calleigh said again in the same small voice.

"Slipped between her ribs, tore through a lung, and crashed into her shoulder blade from what I hear," Eric commented. He placed his hands palms down and leaned into them, stretching his back. "So which bad guy shot Jessie Bug?"

Calleigh was silent for a moment. She blinked several times, as if she were about to cry.

"Calleigh?" Eric whispered walking towards her.

"The test fired slug came from Horatio's department issued Glock."

Eric looked at her for a moment, not completely understanding what she was saying. "Calleigh?" he repeated.

"Horatio," Calleigh whispered. "Horatio shot Jessica."

* * *

Ryan barely glared at Horatio as he walked into the hospital room. The younger man was holding Jessica's hand as she laid in the bed covered with wires and tubes. Her eyes barely opened and she almost managed a smile for him as he sat in a chair across from Ryan.

"Hey Daddy," she whispered.

"You shouldn't speak, Jessie," Ryan snapped. "Alexx said you need to rest."

"I can talk to my father if I want," Jessica weakly retorted at him. "It's not like I'm running a marathon or anything."

"You need to rest your lungs. One was severally damaged today. Don't waste what little air you can breathe."

"God damn it, Ryan!" Horatio suddenly snapped, standing from his chair with enough force to knock it over. "It's not like I shot her on purpose!"

"But how the hell could you not notice?!" Ryan yelled back, rounding the end of the bed and walking towards him.

"There was a lot going on! I made a mistake!"

"A mistake that could result in the death of my wife!"

"She's my daughter, too!"

"Yeah? Well what kind of father shoots his own daughter?!"

Horatio felt the anger burn deep within him. He was standing toe-to-toe with Ryan. The other man was close enough for Horatio to feel his breath on his face.

The fight that was sure to happen was interrupted by a loud beeping sound. They both turned to see Jessica convulsing on the bed, her eyes rolled into the back of her head and blood pouring from her mouth and nose. Nurses and doctors rushed into the room. They pushed both men out of the way and somehow Horatio was shoved into the hall. The door slammed shut and he was locked out. Horatio grabbed the doorknob and tried to get back into the room. He pounded on the door and called out to anyone who would listen. Finally the door opened and Jessica's bed was rushed into the hall and out of sight. Horatio stood there for a moment and just stared at the set of doors that clanked shut after the parade. He looked back at Jessica's room just in time to watch Ryan slam the door in his face. Horatio collected his thoughts and finally left the hospital.

* * *

Horatio was distracted as he drove his Jeep down the highway. He wasn't sure where he was going and he didn't really care. He just needed to get away for a few hours before he went back to the hospital to check on his daughter's condition. He stared off into the distance and watched what few other cars there were pass him by. He sighed and leaned into the headrest of the seat.

"Dear Lord," he whispered, "help me. I've made a terrible mistake. I can't loose my baby girl. My children are all I have left in this life. I don't care about loosing my job or integrity or respect from my coworkers because of this mistake. Miami Dade could fire me for all I care. I've already been placed on administrative review. I'll pick up my last paycheck and leave forever if it saves my daughter. I can't live without her. I need my baby, Lord. Please God, send me a sign that she'll be alright. I just need to know my little Bug's going to make it."

The Jeep continued to roll down the street. Nothing seemed to change and Horatio sighed again.

"Maybe everyone's life would have been better if I'd never been born," he whispered to himself.

Suddenly a body struck the front of his Jeep and smashed into the windshield. Horatio screamed and slammed on the brakes. His tires screeched and his entire car veered to the left. He crossed the median and entered traffic going the opposite direction. He pulled hard on the wheel and the car spun. He lost control again briefly and the passenger side smashed into the guard rail. Finally the SUV came to a rest, the engine hissing and clanking as steam rolled out from beneath the hood.

Horatio groaned and closed his eyes against the pain. After a minute the pain began to subside. His door seemed to open on its own and Horatio slowly climbed from the Jeep. He walked around to the front end. The grill was smashed in and the windshield shattered. The entire passenger side had nearly been ripped from the car. Part of the engine was now hanging in the road. There was no doubt in his mind that his car was totaled.

Horatio looked back in the direction he thought he had come. He followed the skid marks across the road and over the median and back where they started. He stood in the middle of the highway and stared at the spot where he was sure he had hit someone or something.

"Looking for me?" a voice said behind him. Horatio turned to find a man not much shorter then him wearing jeans, a gray t-shirt, and red plaid flannel shirt looking back at him. He head was shaved and shined in the Miami sun. His warm brown eyes seemed to twinkle with a light of their own. He had a scruff on his cheeks and a goatee around his mouth. He scratched his chin with short nails on hands that clearly belonged to a labored worker. He wasn't much older then his daughter. "My name's Jason and I'm here to help you, Horatio."

Horatio just stared at him, unable to comprehend what was going on. "How…what…who…but I…" he stuttered, trying to figure everything out.

"Breathe, you'll be just fine."

"What the fuck!" Horatio exclaimed, suddenly finding his voice again. "I just hit you with my god damn car! How are you standing here talking to me?"

"Careful, Horatio, the big guy doesn't like it when people take his name in vain," the man said with a smile.

"The big guy?" Horatio repeated, still fuming with confusion.

"Yeah, you know, the Big Guy. The man upstairs, the Almighty, the Father, God."

"What?"

"God, Horatio. God sent me to help you."

Horatio couldn't help but scoff and laugh. "You expect me to believe you were sent by God. To help me. Are you crazy?"

"Nope, just doing my job."

"So what, you're an angel?"

"Exactly, now you've got the right idea."

Horatio just stared at him. "You expect me to believe you're an angel, sent by God to help me. I must have hit you harder then I thought."

"You did, but it didn't hurt since, you know, I'm dead anyways."

"Then how did I hit you with my car? If you're an angel shouldn't you have been able to just fly out of the way?"

"I haven't got my wings yet. That's why I'm here. I've been sent to Earth to show you what your purpose in life is and earn my wings."

"You don't have wings?"

"Nope, that's why I fell onto your car."

Horatio laughed and shook his head. "Alright, that's it, I'm calling the cops."

"Go right ahead, if you can."

Horatio eyed him suspiciously and Jason just smiled at him. He reached into his pockets but his phone and wallet were gone. "Where's my phone?" he snapped at the mysterious other man.

"You mean this thing?" Jason asked, holding Horatio's phone. "Won't do you any good now, even if it was yours. Screen's scattered and the battery actually broke in half under the impact of the steering wheel crashing into your lap. It also broke your left femur."

Horatio looked at him dumbfounded and then down at his legs. Everything looked perfectly intact. "What the hell are you talking about? I'm just fine."

"Oh you are, but that guy over there," Jason said looking over his shoulder, "Well, he's not doing so hot."

Horatio leaned to the right and stared across the road. He couldn't help but yell from shock at the sight of his blood covered and mangled body laying in the road next to his Jeep. He quickly ran across the highway and dropped to his knees next to himself. He touched his neck and chest and was met by silence.

"Am I dead?" he whispered.

"Not yet," Jason answered, suddenly next to him. "Of course you can't die if you haven't been born."

Horatio slowly stood and looked into his brown eyes. "What are you playing at? What kind of psycho has my mind generated while I clearly lie here unconscious?"

"I told you," Jason said with a smile, clearly not offended. "I'm not a psycho, I'm an angel."

"Fine, you're an angel, prove it to me."

"Ok, why haven't we seen any other cars?"

Horatio quickly turned in circles, looking around the suddenly deserted highway. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon. Rush hour hadn't started yet but traffic should have been fairly steady.

"That doesn't prove anything," Horatio quickly answered.

"Alright, then where did your car go?"

Horatio spun around and looked at the place his car previously had been sitting. Everything was gone; the car, the skid marks, even his body.

"What kind of joke is this?" he hissed at Jason.

"I don't know why you're getting so defensive, Horatio, I'm only here to help prove a point."

"And what point is that? How do I know I can trust you?"

"How did I know your name without you telling it to me?"

Horatio was shocked into silence. He eyed the man other carefully, trying not to show how surprised he truly was.

"Where did all your injuries go?" Jason whispered.

Horatio touched his face. Blood had been running down his face when he climbed from the car just minutes ago. He hadn't seen his face yet, but he knew something had to be damaged to cause blood to pour from his skin like it had been. He looked at Jason again and suddenly felt maybe the younger man was telling the truth after all.

"What are you trying to tell me?" he quietly asked.

"I've been sent here to help you realize all the good you've done in the world," Jason answered with that same smile.

"What do you mean?"

"Just before the accident you said, and I quote, 'Maybe everyone's life would have been better if I'd never been born.' I'm here to shown you all the good you've done in everyone's lives. You're having a midlife crisis. You're upset about shooting your daughter and you need to be reminded why you were sent into this world. I'm here to help. I'm your guide through the life you almost didn't live."

Horatio continued to just stare at him, still unable to comprehend what he was saying, yet still believing him.

"Here, take my hand," Jason said, holding out a callous covered hand.

"Why?" Horatio quickly asked.

"Because I have somewhere to take you."

Horatio hesitated for a moment and then slowly reached toward Jason's hand. Jason smiled at him as his palm came to rest in his own. Then there was a sudden flash of light and the world went black for a moment.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

* * *

Horatio's vision was blurred for a few second, but then everything began to come into perspective. He looked around the small house that looked vaguely familiar. Then he finally recognized his childhood home. He turned in circles and took in everything around him. Everything seemed to be the same, but it was the minor details that began to get his attention. Horatio walked over to the wall with several family portraits on it. He examined ones that seemed familiar yet foreign at the same time.

"Where am I?" he whispered. "I'm not in any of these. I should be right here, next to Raymond. And who's this girl? I've never seen her before in my life."

"That's because this isn't your life," Jason answered, striding across the room to pick up a picture on an end table. "This is what the world would be like if you had never been born." He held out the framed picture to Horatio. "It's 1972. Raymond Caine just turned thirteen and his little sister, Stephanie, just celebrated her fourth birthday yesterday. Old Man Caine got drunk before the party even started and Mrs. Caine got pissed at him for it. They had an argument about it this morning, and things turned violent."

"Raymond and I didn't have a sister named Stephanie," Horatio interrupted. "It was just the two of us because-"

"Because your mother secretly had her tubes tied after Raymond was born because of how violent your father was towards his oldest son," Jason finished. "She feared for the safety of her children. But you were never born, Horatio, so your parents didn't stop having children after Raymond. In fact, Mrs. Caine was pregnant with their third when Old Man Caine killed her this morning."

"What?!" Horatio exclaimed. He turned in circles and suddenly noticed the bloody trail on the hardwood floors leading down the hallway and into the kitchen. Horatio ran down the hall and nearly fainted at the sight in the kitchen. Cops were walking around the room, photographing the scene where his mother and brother lay curled together on the floor. They were covered in blood and a knife lay not far from their bodies. His father was seated in a chair, handcuffed and being questioned by another cop.

"What happened?" Horatio whispered.

"Old Man Caine was hungover and didn't want to hear his wife bitch about him being drunk again. He hit her. It wasn't the first time, but young Raymond decided it was going to be the last time. They got into a physical altercation and one thing led to another and before anyone realized it Old Man Caine had pulled out his pocket knife and stabbed Raymond in the abdomen. He bled to death quickly. Mrs. Caine screamed and ran to call for help, but Old Man Caine decided to silence her forever."

"Who called the police?"

There was a softly shuffling sound and Horatio followed it out back into the hall. Kneeling on the stairs trying to hide behind a banister was a little girl. She had red curly hair and bright blue eyes. She watched the scene in the kitchen while a young officer sat with her. He touched her shoulders and whispered to her about how brave she was to call for help. Horatio felt his heart break into pieces as she stared right through him and into the kitchen where her mother and brother lay dead.

"Stephanie Caine was never the same after that," Jason whispered.

The house mutated and the scene suddenly changed. They were in an alley, watching a girl barely a legal adult perform oral sex on a man behind a dumpster.

"She suffered psychological problems," Jason continued. "She wasn't able to focus in school, eventually dropped out in junior high. It was difficult to get a good paying job without a high school diploma, so she eventually began turning tricks as a side job. She contracted AIDS when she was twenty-one. She killed herself the day after her twenty-third birthday, nineteen years after she witnessed her father massacre her family. She had a son, Jeffery. He was placed up for adoption just hours after he was born. He also had the virus. Died when he was seven."

Horatio shook his head and walked away from Jason. He tried to take deep breaths, but it was difficult with the smell of the alleyway.

"It's not right," he whispered. "Raymond and Mom shouldn't have died."

"Of course they shouldn't have," Jason said, suddenly at Horatio's side. "If you had been born there never would have been a Stephanie. Without Stephanie there wouldn't be a birthday party were your father was drunk. There never would have been a morning after fight. There would have been someone to protect Raymond."

Horatio felt his body shaking and tried to fight the panic that was setting in. "Raymond would have had a sister," he whispered.

"Yes, and a nephew, but his life was cut short because something was missing from it."

"Me," Horatio whispered.

"And a few other things," Jason said.

"Like what?"

"Take my hand again, I'll show you."

"There's more?"

"There's much more to come, Horatio. This is just the beginning."

Horatio hesitated again but grasped Jason's hand. He looked down the alley towards the young woman who could have been his sister. She was gagging and vomiting behind a stack of wooden pallets. Then the scene disappeared in a flash of white.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

* * *

Horatio looked around the strange house. The sun shined through the windows and a light breeze made the white curtains flutter in the large living room.

"Where are we?" he quietly asked.

"Yelina's house," Jason answered.

Horatio shook his head. "This isn't Yelina's house."

"It is in a life where she never marries Raymond Caine."

"But why wouldn't she marry Raymond?"

"Because he's dead. He never had a big brother to protect him. He died at the age of thirteen. He never had the chance to marry Yelina."

"Where is she?" Horatio asked.

"In the kitchen, cooking her husband breakfast before he goes to work."

Horatio rushed through the house and quickly found the kitchen. Yelina was standing at the stove, frying eggs and bacon. Her belly was swollen and her left eye black and yellow.

"What happened to her?" Horatio snapped in Jason's face.

"Her husband doesn't hesitate to hit her. He strikes less when she's pregnant, but nothing stops him."

"What kind of monster did she marry?" Horatio nearly growled.

"Good morning, sweetheart!"

Horatio slowly turned and watched Rick Stetler walk into the kitchen. His blood began to boil and his hands curled into tight fists. "No," he hissed.

"Yes, no one was there to warn anyone that Stetler was bad news. All anybody ever saw was the smart, friendly guy he was at the station. He stole Yelina's heart and won over everyone for the position of Lieutenant."

An audible growl escaped Horatio's throat. "Stetler's the Lieutenant?"

"Yes, there was no one else more qualified then him to take on the position."

Two small children ran into the kitchen and hugged Yelina's legs. It was a little girl and a boy not much older then his sister. Yelina smiled at them and kissed each of them on the forehead before setting them at the table. "Good morning, my little ones," she said in a small voice.

"Sweetheart, you're going to burn breakfast," Stetler said in his weasel like tone.

Yelina returned to the stove without a word and continued cooking. Her eyes darted towards the table every once in awhile, watching her husband read the newspaper.

"She looks frightened," Horatio commented.

"Wouldn't you be if someone beat you for every tiny mistake?" Jason asked.

Horatio watched Yelina cook with one hand, while the other rested on her wide abdomen.

"Baby number four is due in three months," Jason said.

"Where's three?" Horatio inquired.

"His ashes were scattered into the ocean."

Horatio looked at him shocked. "What do you mean?"

"Well when you push your wife who's four months pregnant down the stairs the baby's not going to live much longer after impact."

"He pushed her down the stairs!" Horatio snapped. Suddenly his anger was too much for him. He turned and charged at Stetler, ready to attach, but he flew right through him and hit the floor with a hard bump. Yelina stopped cooking and looked towards where Horatio lay on the floor looking up at her.

"Is something wrong, sweetheart?" Stetler asked her.

"I thought I heard something," Yelina whispered.

"If it was the sound of my bacon burning you're correct."

Yelina quickly turned back to the stove and concentrated on her cooking. Horatio slowly stood from the floor and just watched her.

"You could have so much more," he whispered.

Yelina slid perfectly fried eggs onto a plate, followed quickly by bacon and two pieces of toast fresh from the toaster. She set the plate in front of the man she married and watched with fearful eyes as he began eating. She seemed to breathe a small sigh of relief when he didn't say anything. She returned to the stove and began cooking for her children.

"This isn't the Yelina I know," Horatio whispered.

"You're right, it's not," Jason responded. "This is the Yelina that never knew a Horatio Caine. This is the Yelina who never met the man that made the most difference in her life."

"I didn't have that much impact on her life."

"Really? Does the Yelina you know have to look over her shoulder every second of the day to make sure her husband's not coming up behind her to give her the smack down?"

"Of course not! My brother would never hurt her!"

"What brother?"

"Raymond, of course!" Horatio froze for a moment and thought over his words. "Raymond learned how to treat women with respect…"

"From you," Jason finished. "You were the mature big brother who taught Raymond everything he needed to know about life. It wasn't Old Man Caine who taught Raymond how to act for his first date. How to hold a girl's hand without seeming awkward. How to sneak a kiss when she least expects it. How to properly roll on a condom and the benefits of safe sex. You taught Raymond everything there was to know about respect for women, love, and sex. You kept his heart and body safe."

"I learned it from my mother," Horatio whispered. He looked at the children sitting at the table. "There isn't a Ray Jr., is there?"

"Why would Rick Stetler name his son Ray Jr.?"

"No little Madison, either."

"Nope, Susie had another daughter."

"Did she?" Horatio asked, feeling hopeful for the first time in hours.

"Yes, but she was taken away from Susie when she was four. Susie couldn't provide the care little Amanda needed. Social Service placed her in a foster home."

"How's Susie?"

"Still a strung out tweaker."

Horatio looked at him with an expression of pure remorse.

"She never had that voice of reason that told her she needed to get clean for her daughter's sake."

Horatio shook his head and wrung his face in his hands.

"Are you starting to understand why I'm here now?" Jason asked him.

"Yes," Horatio whispered.

"Good because we've still got more to see."

Jason grabbed his hand and the last thing Horatio saw was Stetler tenderly kissing Yelina.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

* * *

Horatio blinked several times before his eyes focused. He looked around the small cluttered apartment, trying to figure out what Jason was showing him before his guide spoke.

"Whose rag-tag place is this?" he finally asked.

"This 'rag-tag' apartment belongs to your brother-in-law," Jason said.

"Eric?" Horatio said in shock.

"The one and only."

"Why does it look so…"

"Awful? Well who got him his job at MDPD?"

"Me," Horatio whispered.

"That's right."

Horatio stood there for a moment, scratching the back of his head as he took in the place. A door opened and closed in the distance and Eric walked in, wearing grubby jeans, a white beater, and heavy work boots. He tossed a newspaper onto the already cluttered coffee table and continued on into the kitchen, passing right through Horatio and Jason. Horatio stepped forward and looked at the newspaper. The front page was one long article about the new Florida Supreme Court appointee. Rachel Turner was making history as the youngest woman to ever be appointed the position of Supreme Court Justice in history. Horatio stared at the newspaper in disbelief.

"December 18th, that's today," he said.

"Yes, and Eric's already finished his Christmas shopping. No need for last minute rushes when you're a tow truck driver."

"But Rachel was murdered almost ten years ago."

"She never became Walter Resden's target if she never dated the prestigious Horatio Caine."

"At least someone's life was finally spared,"

"Was it worth it if the other people you love perished?" Jason waved his hand and the pages of the newspaper began to quickly turn. They stopped in the obituaries and Horatio stared in horror at three familiar faces.

"Natalia," he whispered.

"There was no one to stop Nick when the restraining order expired. Natalia wasn't able to scare him off on her own. No one cared as much as you did."

"Frank."

"No one called out to him when that gunman snuck up on his blindside."

"But Alexx…"

"Someone stole the ME van and Alexx didn't have her permanent backup to save her."

"But they were strong enough to fight, all of them."

"Not if the person who taught them when to fight was never there," Jason said. He waved his hand and the newspaper changed entirely. It was a paper from Los Angeles, the front page featuring the sober story of the death of Lieutenant Jesse Cardoza.

"Jesse became the LA Lieutenant?" Horatio quietly asked.

"Yes, after he finally caught the serial killer who murdered his wife. Then that man's brother got revenge in honor of his fallen brother."

"Who else has died?"

"Not everyone," Jason said. He touched Horatio's hand and the scene suddenly changed again. Horatio looked around the modest house. Walter was sitting at a table eating dinner with a young woman and two little girls. "Walter Simmons still works the night shift. Married one of his old college girlfriends and they have two beautiful daughters."

The scene changed again and they were suddenly in a different house. Horatio recognized Alexx's house as he watched her children open presents on Christmas Day.

Her husband was sitting on the couch smiling as he watched them.

"They'll both grow up to be doctors and he'll remarry in about seven years."

The scene morphed again and Julia was walking through her large house, looking over a contract of some sort.

"Julia never met John Walden," Jason said. "They never fell in love and had little Kyle."

"My son," Horatio barely managed to whisper.

Another scene change and Horatio was looking at his late wife. He took a step towards her and watched her read a book while in the middle of a chemo therapy session.

"Mari," Horatio whispered.

"The Mala Noche never had reason to kill her, since neither her brother nor husband worked to end their reign."

"How much longer does she have?" Horatio quietly asked.

"She's been battling the cancer for seven years now, but if her bone marrow transplant from her brother is successful she might actually go into remission. Her boyfriend talked her into keeping with the chemo therapy. She might actually be able to have children someday."

Horatio felt tears in his eyes again as regret started to choke him. "I should have encouraged her to stick with it. She was just so tired of fighting."

"He'll leave her in three months," Jason whispered just before he grabbed Horatio's hand.

Horatio blinked and he was looking at yet another scene. Calleigh was talking on a phone while carrying a baby in her free arm.

"Calleigh eventually becomes lead CSI for the crime lab. She married Tim Speedle six years after joining the team."

"Speedle's alive?" Horatio asked, suddenly hopeful.

"Yes, he didn't have a reason to go into that jewelry store." They watched as Speedle walked into the room and kissed Calleigh and then the baby. He walked out of the house holding a small boy's hand. "It's also difficult to be lazy about gun maintenance when you're married to the ballistics specialist."

Horatio looked longingly out the window as Speedle loaded the child into a booster seat and then drove off. He felt Jason touch her hand and the scene changed once more.

Horatio slowly walked through the pristine house. Everything was perfectly placed and not a speck of dust could be found. Horatio didn't need his guide to tell him he was in the house of Ryan Wolfe. He looked at the pictures perfectly leveled and spaced on the white walls. Ryan looked so happy in all of them standing next to Erica Sykes.

"Her name is Erica Wolfe now," Jason said, as if he read Horatio's mind.

Horatio continued to look at the pictures. The young man he knew so well clearly grew older as Horatio walked down the hall. He stopped and examined a few closely; one with Ryan in a tuxedo and Erica in a wedding dress and another of them with three children, two boys and one girl. All of them had Ryan's brown hair and hazel eyes.

"Ryan quit his job as an MDPD Patrol Officer," Jason said.

"He never worked for the crime lab?" Horatio asked.

"Who hired him? He was hired as a replacement for Speedle and only one person was present during his impromptu interview."

"What does he do now?"

"He's a stay at home dad. Erica makes twice as much as he did as an officer of the law. It was easy to quit his job and become the trophy husband. Never finished his Masters degree either."

"Why not?"

"Why bother? His wife's the bread winner. No need for an extensive education when all you do is look pretty on your wife's arm at big events."

The sound of feet thundering down the hall echoed off the walls and the two little boys ran squealing with delight as Ryan came chasing after them. They turned a corner and disappeared into the living room. They laughter floated through the air and tickled Horatio's ears.

"What are their names?" Horatio asked, gesturing towards the picture of Ryan and his children.

"The oldest is Bradley, the middle boy Connor, and the baby of the bunch is Megan. They all have perfect hearing abilities."

"There's no Oliver," Horatio whispered.

"Of course not," Jason commented. "Oliver is Jessica and Ryan's son. You can't imagine Oliver being born if Jessica was never born."

"But Jessica should have been born," Horatio insisted. "She's not my biological daughter."

"This is true Horatio, but who was there to adopt Jessica when Brian passed away?"

Horatio just stared at him, unable to come up with an answer. Jason held out his hand and looked at Horatio with a somber expression.

"Come on, there's one more place I want to take you."

Horatio didn't hesitate this time to take Jason's hand. There was a flash of light and when Horatio opened his eyes it seemed he was reliving his past in a terrible way.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

* * *

Horatio stood in the snow covered street. He shivered from the cold and hugged his arms against his body as snow collected on his blazer and in his hair.

"Here, put this on," Jason said, holding out a wool peacoat. Horatio gladly accepted it without hesitation, noting that Jason now wore a heavy Carhart coat and black knit cap.

"How can I feel the cold if I've never been born?"

"How could you feel the Miami sun on your skin if you've never been born?" Jason held out a black scarf and hat. Horatio pulled them on without another word.

"Where are we?" Horatio asked, rubbing his hands together.

"Where does it look like?" Jason responded, holding out a pair of black leather gloves.

Horatio accepted the gloves and looked around carefully. He turned in circles, taking in the sidewalks and trees. He quickly ran down the street and turned right and then left, jogging up a short set of stairs. He rounded the corner and came face to face with a giant silver oblong spree. He couldn't help but smile to himself.

"Chicago," he whispered.

"I knew you'd recognize it soon enough," Jason said with a smile.

"How are you able to just appear like that? Why does it seem you never walk or run?"

"I'm an angel. I'm not impeded by your mortal inconveniences."

"Yet you still got hit by a car," Horatio retorted.

"True, but once I get my wings I'll never get hit by another car again."

"So why are we here?" Horatio asked as they began walking down the street.

"I told, we had one more place I needed to take you."

"Am I here to see Jessie Bug?"

"Eventually, but there's a few other people you need to see first."

They walked up the steps of the Museum of Contemporary Art and right through security. Not a soul in the world noticed them. The hall twisted and curved like a maze and eventually they ended up in a special gallery. Horatio looked at the paintings on the wall and suddenly they were all too familiar.

"These are Jessabelle's works!" he exclaimed.

"They are," Jason said with his warm smile.

"But why are they here? Jessabelle died twenty-seven years ago."

"When you were born she did."

"What are you saying?" Horatio asked, suspicious once more of his guide.

"Take a look for yourself."

Horatio slowly walked through the gallery, taking in all the familiar paintings. Then there were ones he didn't recognize at all. They were newer, dated years after Jessica Stone's death. He stopped dead in his tracks, frozen by the sight at the end of the gallery. The late Dr. Jessica Stone was standing there, talking to other patrons.

Horatio just stood there staring at her, his heart thudding hard. He carefully and quietly began walking towards her. He could hear her voice and smell her familiar scent. She smiled brightly at the man she was talking to, clearly a college student. Then he was standing right in front of her. She looked at him with those beautiful green eyes and Horatio felt his heart melt just like the first time he met her.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

Horatio froze again and glanced over his shoulder. There was no one behind him. He looked at her again and she just continued to look at him, patiently waiting for his answer.

"I just…" Horatio began but lost his voice. She smiled at him and unwearyingly waited. "I just wanted to say hello," he finally managed.

She giggled and touched his arm. Her hand didn't go through him. It was firm and real where it rested. "I take it someone's a fan of mine," she said with another giggle. "I've been getting all these younger men coming up to me and suddenly cat's got their tongue!"

"Younger?" Horatio hesitantly asked, wondering what she saw him as.

"Yes, I'm going to guess you're about seven years younger then me."

Horatio smiled, knowing she saw the current day him. "Four," he said.

She scoffed and shook her head. "You must be one of those people aging gracefully. I never would have guessed you were in your fifties. Well at least someone relatively the same age as me is flirting this time. Usually I get these college boys who are younger then my son!"

"Your son?" Horatio said.

"Yes! Sean's going to be thirty next week and I can hardly believe it! My greatest Christmas gift ever is going to be thirty years old! His father may have left us before he was born, but it was still the best Christmas ever! Do you have any children?"

Horatio hesitated for a moment. "Yes, two," he finally answered.

"Boy or girl?" Jessica Stone playfully inquired.

"One of each, Kyle's twenty and Jessica's thirty-one."

"Jessica?" she playfully said. "Now if she wasn't so old I'd say you really were a crazy fan."

"I adopted her when she was fourteen."

"Wow, that's amazing. Were you a foster parent?"

"Yes, and her Godfather."

"That's so generous of you." She squeezed his arm a little tighter, reminding Horatio her hand was still there. "You must be an amazing man! Your wife is so lucky!"

"Wife passed away seven years ago," he quietly said.

She covered her mouth with her free hand. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"It's alright," Horatio said. "It happens a lot."

She smiled at him again and released his arm from her grasp. His arm tingled where her hand had been. She grabbed a pamphlet off a table and scribbled something on it.

"I like you," she said. "I hardly know you but I can tell a true art lover when I see one. Why don't you give me a call sometime and we'll do dinner?" She held out the pamphlet for the museum to him, a Chicago area pone number written in Sharpie on the cover. "We can talk art or exchange stories about mishaps involving our children."

Horatio smiled and chuckled as he accepted the pamphlet. He carefully folded it and slipped it into the pocket of his slacks. She smiled and watched him.

"Well it was very nice meeting you, Dr. Stone," Horatio said, holding out his hand.

She pushed it aside and gave him a tight hug. Horatio was shocked and but held her tightly against his body for a moment. She carefully pulled back from their embrace and smiled again.

"Sorry, I'm from Ireland, we prefer hugs over handshakes for people whose company we enjoy. It was great meeting you…I'm sorry, I don't think I ever got your name."

"Horatio, Horatio Caine."

She smiled once more and gave him another quick hug. "I'll be waiting for that phone call, Horatio."

He didn't want to go, but Horatio could feel it was time to leave. He slowly turned and walked away. He looked over his shoulder once and could tell she no longer saw him, though she was clearly searching the small crowd. Horatio walked up to Jason, his guide giving him a bright smile.

"How did you do that?" Horatio asked.

"I'm an angel. I can do whatever I want to help you."

"How is she still alive? She had leukemia."

"She wasn't pregnant at the time of her diagnosis. Jessica Stone began chemo treatment immediately and was in remission for fifteen years. It came back just before her fortieth birthday. Her son, Sean, surprised her with a blood analysis stating he was a perfect match to her and for her birthday gave her a bone marrow transplant. She's been cancer free for almost twenty years now."

Horatio looked back at her, tears suddenly forming in his eyes. "She would live if I was never born," he whispered in a thick voice.

"But at what cost?" Jason asked.

He grasped Horatio's hand and the scene shifted drastically. They were no longer in the nice, warm museum. Now they were outside in a cold, dark alley. Horatio looked around, unable to figure out they were there.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"Just try and remember," Jason gently said.

Horatio examined the alley more closely. He walked towards one end that opened out onto a street. Cars zoomed past and it hit Horatio all at once.

"Oh my god," he whispered, "This is the street James and his crew used to roll on. This is where I found Jessie Bug one time when he nearly beat her to death." He quickly turned and looked at Jason. "Why are we here?"

"Do you recognize anyone?" Jason asked.

Horatio quickly spun around and looked at a group of young men he hadn't noticed before. "No," he whispered as he watched a man of almost forty strutting down the street. He had tattoos covering his neck and hands and several tear drop tattoos on his face. One in particular stood out because it was red, like a drop of blood. His head was shaved and a few more tattoos were inked into his scalp. His laugh was colder then the snow as he and his crew scanned the streets with his icy blue eyes.

"No!" Horatio exclaimed. "That bastard can't be alive! He was sentenced to death for the murder of my best friend! He killed Brian in cold blood and tried to abduct Jessica!"

"But why was Brian at the Pier that day?" Jason asked.

"Because I told him I knew what Izzy and James were planning!" Horatio froze at the sound of his own words. "I told him," he said quietly. "I told Brian I knew Izzy and James were planning to run off together. I told him we had to stop them at all costs."

"I think you're starting to understand better now, Horatio," Jason said.

Horatio looked at him with a puzzled expression. "What ever happened to Brian?"

Jason held out his hand, watching Horatio with his brown eyes. "I'll show you," he quietly said.

Horatio grasped his hand and there was a flash of light. Then he was standing in a familiar kitchen. He watched a man a few years older then him pack food into a child's lunchbox. He closed it and carried it with a travel mug of coffee into the hall and stopped at the base of the stairs.

"Andrew!" he yelled up the stairs. "Come on, we're going to be late!"

"Gramps, you say that everyday and everyday we're right on time," a young boy said as he walked down the stairs, his boots making a clopping noise as he went. He looked at Brian Johnson with eyes the color of blue ice. Bright blonde hair stuck out in random places from under a knit hat. He was about twelve years old.

"Andrew Johnson, did you not see the weather outside? It's snowing like crazy out and we need to hurry or you'll really be late to school."

"Whatever, not like I'll amount to anything anyways," the young boy grumbled under his breath.

Brian Johnson grabbed his shoulder and turned the boy to face him. "Andrew Brian Johnson, just because your father and mother were Crip Kings doesn't mean you'll grow up to follow in their footsteps. You are a smart, talented young man and you'll do great things someday. In case you've forgotten your Grandfather is the Chief of Police for the Chicago PD."

The young boy couldn't help but smile. "Last week we had to write about what we wanted to be when we grow up, and I said I wanted to be a cop, just like my Grandpa."

Tears filled Brian's eyes and he hugged the young boy tightly. "You'd make a great cop," he whispered in a thick voice.

"We also had to write about what we wanted for Christmas most," the boy whispered.

"Yeah, what did you write about?" Brian inquired.

"I said even though she made some mistakes and she wasn't perfect, I wanted my mom back."

Horatio spun and looked Jason dead in the eye. "What is he talking about?! What's going on here?!"

"Elizabeth Johnson finally gave birth to a little boy when she was nineteen," Jason explained. "James Wilson finally got tired of beating her until she miscarried. She was incarcerated at the time she gave birth. Her father was granted custody of the boy until her release. After that she continued to roll with James and the Crip Kings, eventually causing her to loose her parental rights and her father becoming the sole guardian for Andrew Johnson. She was permitted supervised visits once a month and on holidays, but didn't always show up. She was frequently strung out on heroine and picked up charges for possession. She finally realized she needed to get her life turned around when she was twenty-seven. She enrolled in a community based drug treatment program and managed to get herself clean. She cut her losses with the Crip Kings and was working full-time in a coffee shop."

Horatio stared at him, anxiety nearly choking him. "But I don't understand. Elizabeth was Brian and Jessica's daughter."

"Brian had a brief marriage with Genevieve Stone."

"Jessica's cousin in Ireland?"

"Yes, she came to America to visit Jessica one year at the police academy and Brian was smitten. It was Jessica he really loved, but he didn't have the courage to ask her out. He dated her cousin instead. They were married for three years, had Elizabeth, and then after their divorce the court granted Brian full parental rights because Genevieve wasn't a natural citizen of the United States. She returned to Ireland and Brian and Elizabeth stayed in Chicago."

"She still met James?" Horatio asked.

"Yes, and they were together for sixteen years."

"Why didn't Brian ever try and break them apart?"

"Who gave him that idea? Who had the stones to say 'This boy is no good, Izzy!'"

Horatio was silent as the world as he knew it played itself out. "Brian only began protecting Izzy because I told him James was scum," he whispered.

"I think you're finally understanding, Horatio."

"Where's Izzy now? What has she been up to for the past four years?"

Jason silently reached out and grabbed Horatio's hand.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

* * *

The flash of white seemed brighter then all the others and it took several seconds for Horatio's eyes to adjust. They were outside again, in a field covered in snow.

"Where are we?" Horatio asked for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

"Take a look around," Jason said. "You know this place."

Horatio slowly turned in circles, taking in the small field. Then he realized where he was.

"This is where Jessica's parents are buried…were buried. Why are we here?" He looked at Jason and suddenly the truth hit him hard. "No," he whispered, taking a step back from his guide. "No, it can't be!"

Something pressed against the back of Horatio's legs and he turned to look at the white marble headstone. He dropped to his knees and brushed snow from its surface. He read and reread the name carved into the hard surface as panic built in his chest and tears overflowed his eyes.

"_Elizabeth Renee Johnson, May 16__th__1982- December 18__th__, 2009, Loving mother and beautiful daughter."_

"NOOOOO!" Horatio yelled as loud as he could, trying to release the pain he felt. "NOOO JESSICA!"

He clawed at the frozen earth, as if he could unbury her and bring her back.

"My baby! Not my baby girl! No, why, Jason, why?!" he continued to yell and cry.

"There was no one to save her from James," Jason somberly said. "You know from your line of work it's almost impossible to leave any gang. James heard Elizabeth was trying to get clean for her son. He heard she was trying to get her life back on the proper track. He couldn't let her go, because deep down inside him, James truly loved Elizabeth Johnson. He loved her so much he didn't want her to be with any other man. He couldn't stand the thought of her leaving him and the Crip Kings. He waited for her. He watched her close up the coffee shop by herself one day and shot her. Once in the heart; she was dead before the first witness even dialed 911."

"But if he loved her why did he murder her?"

"It was the only way she could truly be his. That's why that one tear drop on his face is red; he wanted everyone to know it was him that killed the love of his life. If only there had been someone to watch over her and protect her, like her father never did. If only she had had a fairy Godmother."

Horatio felt like someone had stabbed him. He collapsed to the ground and laid in the snow on his stomach, tears still streaming down his face.

"If only I had been there to protect her," he whispered. "If only I had been there to protect and take care of everyone I loved. If only I had been there."

He quickly climbed to his feet and brushed the snow from his coat.

"Jason, I understand now!" he exclaimed. "I understand now that everyone needs someone at sometime and that's why I'm here! I'm that someone! I was born to protect everyone I love! Jason?"

Horatio looked around the cemetery, but his guide was suddenly gone.

"Jason!" he yelled, trying to find the other man. "Jason, I said I understand why I was born! Jason, where are you?" His voice echoed in the cold winter air. The light seemed to be dimming around him and the air growing colder. The snow began to fall heavier, with huge, wet flakes. Panic started to rise up in Horatio's chest again and he did his best to stay in control.

He felt as if something hit him hard in the chest and Horatio was knocked to the ground. He laid there for a moment and tried to stand back up. Something hit him again and this time Horatio was sure he felt electricity running through his body. He was trapped on his back as the pain increased. He tried to fight against the invisible force that kept him there. He pushed and pulled and tried to crawl away, but he couldn't roll over or move his arms. Blood started running down his face and into his eyes and mouth. There was a loud snapping noise and Horatio screamed in agony as he felt his left leg break in half. He tried to call out to Jason to help him, but his vocal chords weren't working right. Finally he just laid there, feeling defeated and sure he was going to die. His eyelids grew heavy and he closed them for a moment. He felt the coat, hat, and scarf slowly dissipate and the snow melt around him. Then the sun was warm against his skin and Horatio slowly opened his eyes again.

The sun was blindingly bright, the ground hard and hot, and someone was leaning over him. He was holding a bloody gauze pad and was dabbing it against his forehead.

"_Sir, can you hear me?"_

Horatio's head pounded terribly and he blinked again and again. He tried to speak, but his throat felt swollen shut. He couldn't nod his head; something was wrapped around his neck.

"_Lieutenant, we're going to get you to the hospital. We called your son-in-law and he's already there waiting for you. Everything's going to be alright. You're safe now."_

Horatio felt himself fading away. He blinked more rapidly, trying not to let go. He looked into a familiar face and instantly knew he was safe. He closed his eyes and breathed easy, knowing Jason was still there watching over him.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

* * *

Everywhere on his body hurt. His eyes were closed and his lids felt so heavy. He managed to slowly open them and looked around the room. He was in hospital; that was for sure. He felt somebody laying on the middle of the bed and looked at the young man snoozing with his upper body laying partway onto the hospital bed. His head rested on Horatio's right thigh and his hand held Horatio's left hand tightly. Horatio smiled and raised his right arm to reach out to Ryan. He stopped and examined the blue cast surrounding his right forearm. He shrugged it off and gently ran his fingers through Ryan's brown hair. Ryan's eyes slowly opened and looked up at the older man who had become much of a father to him.

"Horatio!" he said through his sleep heavy voice. He sprung to his feet and carefully wrapped his arms around the older man's sore body. "Oh my god, I was so afraid you weren't going to make it!"

"Ryan," Horatio managed to whisper, "What happened?"

"You're never going to believe this," Ryan said sitting back down, taking Horatio's left hand again. "You hit a Red Deer."

"A what?"

"A Red Deer; they're a large breed of deer not native to Florida, introduced in 1967 in Highlands County, and were thought to be existent in Florida, though some believe there are still small herds running around. But I'm pretty sure you just confirmed that there are still some living close by."

"A deer? I hit a deer?"

"Yup, a big stag, too. He was six feet long and weighed in at three-hundred and seventy pounds."

"I don't remember seeing a deer."

"Neither did any of the witnesses. They said one minute the road was clear and the next this giant deer was flying through the air and your Jeep was spinning out of control. He busted the tie rod and axle on your car, causing you to loose control, cross over the median, and eventually crash into the guard rail on the other side." Ryan shook his head and continued to watch Horatio. "Personally I would have believed it if someone hadn't shown me pictures."

"Pictures?"

Ryan picked up an envelope sitting on the bedside table. He pulled out one and held it up for Horatio to examine. Laying in the middle of the road was the mangled body of a large red colored animal.

"Jesus," Horatio muttered.

"Yeah, he was on your side alright." Ryan laid out more pictures for Horatio to look at. Horatio recognized every shot of the accident, though he knew really he shouldn't have.

"Where was I when they found me?" he asked.

"You were laying in the road next to your Jeep," Ryan explained. "The EMTs originally you had been thrown from the car, but several witnesses said you climbed out, walked around your car, looked at the other side of the highway for a minute, and then collapsed in the road."

"I did?"

"Yes, and everyone's surprised you were able to. You shouldn't have been able to walk anywhere with your leg broken." Ryan carefully pulled back the hospital blankets and Horatio looked down at the large cast on his lower body. It wrapped around his torso just above his pelvis and ran all the way down his left leg to his foot. Just his toes were visible at the base.

"You have a metal rod and seven screws holding your femur together and a spica cast to keep everything immobilized," Ryan explained. "There's no way you should have been able to climb out of that car on your own, but somehow you did."

"What happened here?" Horatio asked, inquiring about his right arm.

"Just a few minor factures from where your arm was crushed between the steering wheel and dashboard. That should be off in about four weeks. You also have stitches above your left eye and a pretty busted up lip." Ryan gently touched his cheek. "But you're going to be alright," he whispered as tears began to form in his eyes. "I was so afraid I was going to loose you. My biggest fear was to loose my wife and father-in-law one week before our first Christmas together."

"Ryan, Jessica!" Horatio exclaimed, suddenly trying to climb from the bed. Ryan stopped him gently.

"She's going to be alright, H," Ryan said. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said it that way. They finally stopped the bleeding in her lungs and they're already healing up nicely. The bullet shouldn't have caused any major damage, though she might not be able to hold her breath for four minutes anymore."

Horatio breathed easy and rested his head on the pillow again. "I'm sorry, Ryan," he whispered.

"No, I'm the one who should be apologizing," Ryan said, holding Horatio's hand again. "I shouldn't have acted like such an ass to you. I know you would never intentionally shoot Jessica. It was an accident, and I'm sorry for how I acted. If I hadn't been so rude to you then you would have been here with me and Jessica. You wouldn't have been driving around and you wouldn't have hit that deer. This is my fault."

Horatio squeezed Ryan's hand tightly. "It's alright, Ryan, I think I needed that wake up call anyways."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

* * *

Horatio laughed and smiled as he opened presents with his family on Christmas Day. He watched his grandson roll himself up in wrapping paper recently ripped from a large present and hop over to him.

"Pa-pa!" Oliver said beneath it. Horatio chuckled and pulled the paper away. "Sapise!" Oliver exclaimed, jumping up and down.

"_Wow!" _Horatio signed to him, _"What an amazing gift!"_

Oliver laughed and crawled into the armchair with Horatio. He leaned up and kissed his grandfather's cheek and snuggled into him.

"Got another present for you, Dad," Ryan said, holding out a small box wrapped in gold paper.

Horatio accepted it and had Oliver help him open it. Inside was a newer model of his phone that had been destroyed in the accident. "Finally," he chuckled, "I never realized how lost I was without one of these."

"Jeez, Dad," Jessica chuckled, "You sound like a teenage girl."

"Well excuse me, I had my landline disconnected two years ago when I realized I only used my cell phone. It's been maddening not knowing how everyone's doing for the last week." He carefully opened the box and removed the new phone, turning it on. The screen lit up and it was quickly running. "Damn, now I have to adjust everything and re-enter all my contacts."

"Well at least you'll have something to do while you're on medical leave," Jessica said with a smirk.

"You mean besides sit in your house with you and have your husband help me piss all day?"

Jessica laughed again and gave him a bright smile. "Don't lie, you love hanging out with me all the time."

"Of course I do," Horatio said with a smile. "There's no where I'd rather be."

The phone chimed loudly, alerting Horatio of an incoming text. It sounded like a bell.

"'Teacher says every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings,'" Jessica said, reciting one of their favorite Christmas movies.

"I'll have to change that," Horatio commented.

"Why, you don't like helping angels get their wings?" Jessica playfully inquired.

"I do," Horatio said with a smile, "That sounds just going to get annoying after awhile."

"Who's the message from?" Ryan asked, sitting next to his wife. "I didn't think anyone knew you had a new phone already."

"Maybe it's a mass Christmas text someone sent me out of habit," Horatio said. He tapped the screen a few times and the message opened and he smiled to himself.

'Thanks for the wings! –Jason'

* * *

**I hoped everyone enjoyed the story. I know there are a few flaws in the storyline, the biggest being the fact that Jessica/Elizabeth technically shouldn't have been born at all if her parents (Brian and Jessica) never married, but I really wanted to have the scene in the cemetery with Horatio crying at Jessica/Elizabeth's grave. That's the one that really stuck out in my mind when I thought of this story.**

**Hope everyone had a great Holiday Season!**

**Peace Out! ~Blue**


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